Monday, November 5, 2007
Blog 6
Today I am going to talk about the origins of other ingredients in my meal. Most have an interesting history and have all been important to benefit mankind
Blog 5
This week I learned about salt and where it comes from. I did not know it was of great intercontinental value and what a rich history and just how important it was.
I use to think that salt was just a condiment that made my fries and steak taste better. I would have never thought that it was so important that great african empires would have to rely on something that sits on my dinner table everyday. I guess we all take advantage of things that we do not need to exert any effort into getting.
In ancient times salt was traded in africa for gold. This was known as the salt and gold trade, where giant blocks of salt where traded for giant blocks of gold in the Mali Empire. Salt back then was traded for its weight in gold. Salt was valued so much because of its preservative abilities. It is capable of preserving food. Salt is also used to melt ice in the winter.
Salt also is mentioned in various religons such as Catholicism, Shinto, and Aztec mythology. It is said that there are around 35 referencees to salt in the Catholic bible.
I never knew how important salt can be. Hmm maybe I should try to trade some salt for a gold bar.
I use to think that salt was just a condiment that made my fries and steak taste better. I would have never thought that it was so important that great african empires would have to rely on something that sits on my dinner table everyday. I guess we all take advantage of things that we do not need to exert any effort into getting.
In ancient times salt was traded in africa for gold. This was known as the salt and gold trade, where giant blocks of salt where traded for giant blocks of gold in the Mali Empire. Salt back then was traded for its weight in gold. Salt was valued so much because of its preservative abilities. It is capable of preserving food. Salt is also used to melt ice in the winter.
Salt also is mentioned in various religons such as Catholicism, Shinto, and Aztec mythology. It is said that there are around 35 referencees to salt in the Catholic bible.
I never knew how important salt can be. Hmm maybe I should try to trade some salt for a gold bar.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Where My Food is Made
I never knew where exactly plantains or rice is made from... Today I guess we will both find out.
First the rice that I eat is made by a company named Carolina. It comes wrapped in plastic . The rice is naturally grown in the USA.
The lentils beans come in an plastic package and are naturally grown in the USA. They are manufactured by Goya
The frying cheese is made in carribean islands such as the Dominican Republic. It comes in plastic packaging. The company that produces this cheese is call Tropical.
The ripe plantains usually are in a plastic bag in a cardboard box. They are made in South America usally in countries such as Ecuador, Venezeula, and Colombia. The makers in the picture I provided are from the Goya company
The best part being the steak comes from cows that are brought up in farms upstate and sent to slaughter houses in new jersey. There is no main company that distributes these steaks.
The peppers are also grown in farms in south carolina
salt comes from the salt mines of africa, no specific brand. comes in a glass saltshaker.
the tomatoes are grown in china. which happens to be the worlds largest tomato distributor.
First the rice that I eat is made by a company named Carolina. It comes wrapped in plastic . The rice is naturally grown in the USA.
The lentils beans come in an plastic package and are naturally grown in the USA. They are manufactured by Goya
The frying cheese is made in carribean islands such as the Dominican Republic. It comes in plastic packaging. The company that produces this cheese is call Tropical.
The ripe plantains usually are in a plastic bag in a cardboard box. They are made in South America usally in countries such as Ecuador, Venezeula, and Colombia. The makers in the picture I provided are from the Goya company
The best part being the steak comes from cows that are brought up in farms upstate and sent to slaughter houses in new jersey. There is no main company that distributes these steaks.
The peppers are also grown in farms in south carolina
salt comes from the salt mines of africa, no specific brand. comes in a glass saltshaker.
the tomatoes are grown in china. which happens to be the worlds largest tomato distributor.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Recipe
Recipe for Arroz con Menestra y Carne Asada with a side of Platano Maduro y Queso.
2 cups of rice
1 lb of beans
2 cups of water
2 ramas of spicy white onions
1 spicy pepper 1
1 small spicy tomato with garlic,
salt,
Ripe Plantains
Frying Cheese
Ripe plantains at the supermarket cost about 4.95 for a pack of 5 microwaveable plantains. Which is a dollar a plantain. The rice comes in a bag that measures 10 lbs at 9$ per bag. I love rice so I usually take ALOT of rice and boil it up. The portion of rice I use would cost about 65 cents. A can of red goya beans would cost about 3 dollars a can at trade fair. I love my beans so i use half a cand of beans which is about 1.50$. A spicy pepper gives the meat a kick so that would normally cost 25Cents a pepper or 5 for a dollar. I only eat one pepper so 25 cents for the pepper. Spicy white onions are 4 for a dollar at key food. Tomatos are about 3 for a dollar. 1 Tomato is like 33 cents. and The frying cheese is two dollars a a slice would be 15 cents. The sirloin steak costs about 5$ for the whole steak.
2 cups of rice
1 lb of beans
2 cups of water
2 ramas of spicy white onions
1 spicy pepper 1
1 small spicy tomato with garlic,
salt,
Ripe Plantains
Frying Cheese
Ripe plantains at the supermarket cost about 4.95 for a pack of 5 microwaveable plantains. Which is a dollar a plantain. The rice comes in a bag that measures 10 lbs at 9$ per bag. I love rice so I usually take ALOT of rice and boil it up. The portion of rice I use would cost about 65 cents. A can of red goya beans would cost about 3 dollars a can at trade fair. I love my beans so i use half a cand of beans which is about 1.50$. A spicy pepper gives the meat a kick so that would normally cost 25Cents a pepper or 5 for a dollar. I only eat one pepper so 25 cents for the pepper. Spicy white onions are 4 for a dollar at key food. Tomatos are about 3 for a dollar. 1 Tomato is like 33 cents. and The frying cheese is two dollars a a slice would be 15 cents. The sirloin steak costs about 5$ for the whole steak.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
My Favorite Meal
I usually will usually try anything once, twice If I like it. But my favorite meal that will make me drool at the mere thought of it or hearing someone mention it arroz y frejole con carne with a side of platano maduro con queso de freir. In english that means rice with meat and plantains with frying cheese. It is my favorite meal preferably cooked by my mother but it does not matter since I would eat it regardless of who cooks it. It consists of a portion of white rice and beans with a cut of well cooked steak. The side is plaintains which are ripe bannanas they are made after removing the skin, the ripened fruit is sliced (3-4 mm thick) and pan fried in plantain oil and sprinkled with salt or sometimes baked in the oven. It is very delicious and is a delicacy is Ecuador. Along with the maduro is the frying cheese which is a block of white cheese made from cow's milk that is cut up into little blocks. I usually eat this alot in Ecuador among other things but eating it here isn't as good as over there almost as if it is missing something. There you go that is my favorite meal I recommend that you try it if you get a chance.
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